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THANK YOU FOR ‘USING YOUR LOAF’!

Thanks to the North West’s bread lovers, Roberts Bakery has hit its fundraising target to raise £50,000 for charity Prevent Breast Cancer.

The bakery recently turned 2.5 million wholemeal packs pink and asked shoppers to pick them up in their local supermarket. The £50,000 raised from the sales will now help fund research that aims to prevent breast cancer – the UK’s most common cancer developed by one in nine women in their lifetime.

Formerly known as Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, the organisation is the only UK’s only charity dedicated entirely to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer.

Having met its ultimate £50,000 goal, Roberts Bakery is helping to fund ground-breaking gene research which, in time, could revolutionise the UK breast screening programme.

To mark this major fundraising milestone, breast cancer survivor and Roberts family member Lindsay Occleston – along with colleagues Peter Styles and Jill Adams – joined the Prevent Breast Cancer team at its Nightingale Centre HQ based at the University Hospital of South Manchester.

In attendance from Prevent Breast Cancer were chairman Lester Barr, executive director Nikki Barraclough, charity manager Louise Cairns and professor of clinical genetics Professor Gareth Evans, who is leading the SNPs 2 research project that Roberts will now help fund.

Professor Evans said: “53,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and national statistics show that if current trends continue, this number could increase by 12% over the next 10 years. This is why our work is so important for the generations of today and tomorrow.

“Gene research is an essential part of predicting breast cancer. If we can predict a woman’s risk of the disease by analysing her gene fragments, along with results from initial mammograms and assessment of lifestyle factors, we can then tailor the most suitable programme for her. The donation made by Roberts Bakery and those who bought its special pink packs is very much appreciated and has the potential to help us change the breast screening process and, ultimately, prevent the disease.

“We’ll be working closely with the NHS to monitor outcomes of this latest research project with a view to personalising the screening programme for future generations.”

Lindsay Occleston said: “We are of course absolutely delighted to reach our £50,000 target and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has picked up a pink pack over the last 12 months. Without their help we wouldn’t have been able to reach our target and therefore play a role in helping to prevent breast cancer forever.”

As part of Roberts’ continued commitment to Prevent Breast Cancer, a selection of its team recently joined the charity and other supporters on a London to Paris cycle challenge, helping to raise over £60,000.

“This is the first year we’ve partnered with Prevent Breast Cancer, but we hope to lend our support again with future fundraising initiatives for the charity.”